CTFA Annual Report 2021

CHAIRPERSON REPORT G I L L E S A N T O I N E | C H A I R P E R S O N A fter 2020, which has probably been the hardest year we have gone through in a very long time, 2021 turned out to be challenging as well. Protecting our staff, our teams, helping them within the context of the disease, providing support for the mental health issues, and keeping businesses afloat were industry challenges in 2021. Living with COVID-19 has been our 2021 reality and I think it is fair to say that South Africa overall has done fairly well in managing this difficult time again. As I shared with you last year, in this troubled period, values and fundamentals are at the heart of a much sough-after stability. What is probably the most important aspect of this context is the ability to work as a team, as a group to protect our Industry, our factories and jobs, our brands, our people and our consumers. At CTFA, 2021 was a good year, just like in 2020, the Association worked tirelessly to convince the authorities to promulgate our regulations. It is not done yet but progress is visible and we will achieve this very important milestone soon. CTFA's importance for our industry, now and in future years, cannot be overemphasised. Consumers are becoming more demanding, rightfully so, which entails the need for a strong framework to protect businesses and take the consumers' experience to new heights. CTFA’s mission is to defend and develop the personal care and beauty industry, ensure consumers’ protection, be the best and most legitimate partner for our stakeholders and create added value for you, our members. • Defending and developing our Industry means that we need to fight against counterfeit products, raise awareness to the authorities on illegal imports, better understand consumer trends, accompany our industry towards a future plastic-less market requirement and be a proactive actor on sustainable retail and digital beauty. • Protecting Consumers means that we need to have the utmost attention to ingredients and to manufacturing exemplarity; it also means that we have the obligation to market products that are safe for the consumers and compliant with the legislation. • Be the best and the most legitimate partner means that we have to engage with the authorities to voice our projects, challenges, ideas and recommendations. The authorities are numerous, with different purposes: National Department of Health; Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, National Consumer Commission, Embassies and the South African Bureau of Standards. It is a strategic part of CTFA’s responsibility, as authorities need to see in CTFA the required expertise regarding the beauty industry in all its dimensions, from product concept to consumer’s feedback. • Creating value for you, our members. You are the very reason for the existence of CTFA through the membership that you loyally pay every year. We owe you a high added value to help you develop your brands; consumer studies centred around our common needs; more insights around trends and new ideas; more anticipation of industry shifts and a sharper communication on ingredients. In these times of uncertainties, I want to thank all members for their continued trust and for keeping their membership. A great testimony to the work CTFA is doing every day. I wish you all the best for 2022 and I am at your disposal for any recommendation you may want to express. Best regards Gilles Antoine | Chairperson COSMETIC TOILETRY AND FRAGRANCE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA 03